


Oath

by BigFountainPen



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: A discussion between friends, Friendship, Gen, Link (Legend of Zelda) Uses Sign Language, Not Beta Read we die like the Champions, One Shot, very quick mention of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:15:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29368368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigFountainPen/pseuds/BigFountainPen
Summary: "I want you, Link, to live for yourself, and not for others anymore."
Relationships: Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Oath

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing.

Hyrule Castle stood in front of them, blue banners flapping proudly in the wind. 

"We did it," breathed Zelda, a shaky but happy exhale leaving her lips. "I suppose it didn't feel real until now but... We have slayed the Beast, after a full century of fighting. We have united Hyrule's population under the banner of the royal family once again. Oaths, both new and old, have been made and honored. I am now Queen Zelda of Hyrule, no longer a princess. And you, Link... You are now a much different man from the one you were one hundred years ago." Turning slightly towards her companion, she observed his face as he took in the sight of the newly rebuilt castle. Joy and sorrow were mixed in his expression, a longing for something he could not remember.

"Link, I... There is something I must tell you," the Hylian Queen said, now fully facing the Hero. Link, hearing her words turned to face her as well, but not before sweeping his eyes over the Castle one last time. Link's piercing blue eyes fell on her, and she fidgeted before steeling herself, her back straight and her head held high. 

"Link, in the name of Hylia, my divine ancestor, and in the name of Hyrule, whose earth I come from and will one day return to, I thank you for all your services," There, she bowed before Link, her gratitude both visibly and audibly heartfelt. A slightly panicking Link put his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her out of her bow. Once fully up, she studied his face, trying to find any trace of protest, ready to contest anything he could say to diminish his own accomplishments, before dropping her eyes to his hands, to see if he was about to sign. Thankfully, it didn't seem to be the case, and so she persevered in her small speech.

"Without you, dear Hero, this victory would not have been ours. A hundred years ago, I was the one who failed to unlock her powers and rejected you, and yet you never left me behind. When Yigas tried to kill me, you came to rescue me even though I was the one who left you behind. When this very castle was overrun by guardians, you had my back, and protected me at the cost of your own health. I still remember the noises your flesh made as it broke under the heat of the mighty beams sent by guardians. I remember how you got every single scar on your body for me. I remember how you fell, later, in Fort Hateno. I remember the heat that overtook me, the ironic warmth I felt when you died in front of me as I awoke my powers. I remember you fading away in my arms, before you could be sent to the Shrine of Resurrection. I remember bringing the Master Sword to the Deku Tree, and talking one last time to the sword's spirit before leaving her to fulfill my destiny and await for your awakening. I remember the darkness, Link, during which you were my light. The burning of malice against my skin before I turned into an incorporeal being. The fighting, the exhausting new reality that was mine. During those dark times, only the thought of your return kept me from giving up," the Queen sighed, a broken yet somehow happy smile on her face. "And when I felt that spark, when I felt life come running back to you, I knew that my suffering would end within the next few years. I could feel you drifting closer to consciousness every passing day. And then one day I just knew. I called your name, and you answered," her hands were shaking by now, and Link took one of them in his, comforting her and silently supporting her, as he'd always done.

Smiling gently to her, he lifted his free hand and wiped away a lonely tear she hadn't even noticed was falling from her left eye, allowing her to pause through her tirade. Zelda smiled back at her precious friend, squeezing his hand back.

"For two years, you traveled Hyrule. And through it all, I watched over you. I watched as you regained your strength, mastered the Sheikah Slate, completed all one-hundred-and-twenty shrines on top of the ones to gain your own Divine Beast, got back the Master Sword, re-learned how to fight, prayed to the goddess, regained the memories I left you as you created others, freed our friends' souls and their Divine Beasts, spontaneously helped everyone you came across -from helping a young girl with her garden to building a new town-, and even when you tried more... creative approaches to fighting and living than I had ever seen. I was here, a silent companion throughout your whole journey," A sharp inhale could be heard from Link, as his ears turned pink.

Immediately, his hands began moving around, signing away at his not-so-young-anymore friend. ' _You saw everything? Even that one time when I used stasis on a boulder that I set to hit that Yiga by the Kakariko Bridge? Or that one time I rode a bear which I set on fire, and then myself, and then the whole forest? Or when I came to Hyrule Castle using a tree trunk and the Stasis rune to avoid any guardians?_ ' a panicked and shy expression overtook his features, realizing that he was, with every gesture, just giving Zelda more material to tease him with. At last, Zelda released a chuckle.

"Yes, I did see all of that. It was the highlight in my hundred years of life, if you must know," a smile graced her lips, eyes filled with newfound mirth, "I especially enjoyed the face you made when you realized what, exactly, korok seeds were when you finally found all of them," at that, he made such a distraught expression that she could not help but laugh at his misfortune. "At least you have helped Hestu a great deal, and his maracas are full once again! Though I do wonder how nine-hundred seeds can fit within such a small space..." at that, her expression became thoughtful, before she turned serious once more. Link observed her and calmed down, knowing the mood had changed once more.

"Link, as I watched over you, I noticed something. You seem happy. It is like you have finally found your true self, no longer weighted down by memories of your early life. I could see how happy you were, travelling freely, helping around whenever you could. I know this Castle, and life itself within its walls is very stifling for a soul as free as yours. My dear friend. A century prior you swore an oath," she stated, looking directly into his eyes, green peering into blue. "You swore an oath to me, as my personal knight, which transcended any you had taken before. You swore you would serve me for a lifetime. And you did. Your heart stopped, dear friend, your life ended on that fateful day. You might have come back, but you... You died. You still died. On top of that, a hundred and two years have passed. You are now a hundred-and-nineteen years old. You have, by nineteen years, surpassed the average Hylian lifetime. You are therefore free from your oath. And if factual proof does not suffice-" at that, a stunned Link regained his senses and lifted his hands, ready to sign. "No! Link, you must let me finish," Zelda interrupted him.

"As the newly crowned ruler of this country, my first decree shall be this one: This One, Queen Zelda the MCMXCIIIrd of Hyrule, hereby decree that Link, Hero of the Wild, is free from any oath he has ever made. He is free to roam throughout the lands of Hyrule, and to come and go as he pleases. So be it, in the name of Hylia," the Queen solemnly said, before smiling at Link. "You are free now. Link, I cannot keep you contained to that Castle, and we both know it. You might want to leave or remain here for now, but what I am giving you today is a way out. You may not want it, but it is. If anything ever becomes too much, I would be loath to be the cause of such discomfort for you. What I offer to you today is not in a way to rid myself of you, but a way for me to give you something you have never had before : freedom. To do as you please, to live your life not pressed by a princess' life being on the line, or a kingdom's worth of people to save. Freedom to explore, trade, discover new horizons, and have adventures a step down from an immemorial Calamity. I want you, Link, to live for yourself, and not for others anymore."

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and thank you for reading! 
> 
> This was written as a way to train my English, as it isn't my mother tongue. I still hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> I hope you have a nice day!


End file.
